A blog by Regional Leader for the North East and Midlands Elim Churches UK

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When it all goes wrong …

Acts 16:39 “They came to appease them and escorted them from the prison, requesting them to leave the city.”

They came to appease but Luke doesn’t say Paul and Silas were appeased.

Sometimes saying “Oh it doesn’t matter” is the wrong response.

Peace at what cost?

If there was an injustice then call it so. No matter if everything sits under the sovereignty of God and all things work together for good to them that love God. The all things are not the good things for they wouldn’t need to work together for good. The all things are the bad things that happen to us. Let us call them bad. Often the perpetrators only seek appeasement because they fear they themselves may be in trouble. They apologise for what they have done but with hidden agendas.

Were Paul and Silas appeased? We do not know. Maybe they did not care for apologies and restoration. There was no comment and perhaps that is the best approach.

They escorted them from the prison as that is what Paul had ordered.

Paul and Silas were dragged into prison bleeding and battered from the severe flogging. They exited heads held high.

Order your parade. The past may have looked like a defeat but today can be your victory walk. The march out of the prison was one of purpose. They had not been defeated. They were not broken. I can imagine their chests inflated as they let the crowds know they were children of a majestic King.

They requested they leave the city but they couldn’t command them to.

They would leave the city, but they would go when they wanted and not at some request from those who had injured them.

Shake the dust off your feet still applies today. Walk on. Don’t look back. It is time for a new season.

The presence of God in your life means that some people do not want you around. They are intimidated by you. They know they cannot control you.

When it all goes wrong how you respond to the closure of that chapter becomes very important to the overall story.